DISPATCHES FROM THE BLUE ZONES: The controversial solution Long Beach has picked to battle shoplifters.

Tired of rampant shoplifting scaring away citizens and shoppers, Long Beach is trying to force stores to add staff and reduce dependence on self-checkout.

The beachfront city, with a population of around half a million, last month started requiring major food and pharmacy retailers to do more to stop theft. So far, the measures have led to a heated debate and longer lines.

Employees like the new law. The retail chains warn that the restrictions could backfire. Shoppers are confused.

The city’s “Safe Stores are Staffed Stores” ordinance is the first of its kind in the country. It requires large stores to increase the number of employees relative to self-checkout stands and also puts a limit on the number of items and types of goods that can be rung up at self-checkout.

Since this is California, I’m forced to assume that the only thing Long Beach hasn’t tried is cracking down on shoplifters.

In any case, self-checkout is for high-trust communities, and those seem to be in short supply on the West Coast.